Chapter XXXII: Appendix: H

ON THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH

The following particulars are extracted and condensed from Martene's invaluable work: and as his account is not easily accessible, and somewhat long, it has been thought well to subjoin them here.

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Churches were often, in the primitive ages, dedicated by more than one bishop. Constantine having completed a magnificent church at Jerusalem, invited the prelates, then assembled in council at Tyre, to assist in its consecration (Euseb. _Vit. Const._ iv, 43; Sozomen. i, 46).

Constantius his son, having finished a church erected by his father at Antioch, Eusebius of Nicomedia, the intruding patriarch of Constantinople, summoned a council under pretence of consecrating the church, however much in reality to decide against the Catholic doctrine of Consubstantiality. Ninety-seven bishops were present (Sozomen. iii, 5).

So it was also in the Western Church. This is proved by the Preface to the Fourth Council of Aries, holden in 524: which begins, 'When the priests of the Lord had assembled in the will of God to the dedication of the church of S. Mary at Aries.'

In the time of S. Louis, Pope Pascal I consecrated the church of S. Vincent, with the Sacred College of Bishops and Cardinals. About the year 1015, the crypt of the monastery of S. Michael was consecrated by S. Bernard of Hildersheilm and two other bishops; and three years afterwards, the church being finished, it was consecrated by the same S. Bernard with three other bishops (_Vita S. Bernardi._ cap. xxxix, xl).

All these bishops took an actual part in the service. In the consecration of the church of Mans, in 1120, the high altar was consecrated by Gilbert, Archbishop of Mans: S. Julians by Galfred of Rouen: Hildebert of Mans consecrated S. Mary's; Reginald of Anglers that of the Holy Cross. There is a fine passage to the same point in Sugerius's book on the dedication of the church of S. Denis: 'Right early in the morning,' saith he, 'archbishops and bishops, archdeacons and abbots, and other venerable persons, who had lived of their proper {198} expense, bore themselves right bishopfully; and took their places on the platform raised for the consecration of the water, and placed between the sepulchres of the holy martyrs and S. Saviour's altar. Then might ye have seen, and they who stood by saw, and that with great devotion, such a band of so venerable bishops, arrayed in their white robes, sparkling in their pontifical robes and precious orfreys, grasp their pastoral staves, call on God in holy exorcism, pace around the consecrated enclosure, and perform the nuptials of the Great King with such care, that it seemed as though the ceremony were performed by a chorus of angels, not a band of men. The crowd, in overwhelming magnitude, rolled around to the door; and while the aforesaid episcopal band were sprinkling the walls with hyssop, the king and his nobles drive them back, repress them, guard the portals.'

Yet the principal actor on the occasion was the bishop of the diocese. The thirty-sixth canon of the second Council of Aries decrees, 'If a bishop be minded to build a church in another diocese, let its dedication be reserved for the diocesan.' S. Columbanus, being only a priest, dedicated the church of S. Aurelia (Walfrid. Strabo. _Vita S. Gallo_, cap. vi).

The preceding night was spent either in the church or in neighbouring churches in a solemn vigil. S. Ambrose testifies that this was done on occasions of the dedication of the Ambrosian church (_Epist_. 22, _ad Marcellina_). So S. Gregory of Mans, in his dedication of the church of S. Julian, removed the relics of that saint into the church of S. Martin, and there kept vigil (_De Glor. Mart_, ii, 34).

Relics were considered indispensably necessary: so S. Paulinus (_Epist_, xxxii, _ad Sever_.) This church was dedicated in the name of Christ, the Saint of saints, the Martyr of martyrs, the Lord of lords, and was honoured {199} with the relics of the blessed apostles. See also the beautiful epistle of S. Ambrose, translated in 'The Church of the Fathers.' The phrase was, _Consecrare ecclesiam de reliquiis Beati n_.

Yet some churches were consecrated without relics. The second Nicene Council decreed that in this case they should be supplied. Those portions of the consecrated elements were placed with these: to which perhaps that expression of S. Chrysostom is to be referred--'What is the altar by nature but a stone? But it is made holy, when it hath once received the body of Christ.'

These relics occupied different positions. In the church of S. Benedict, consecrated by Pope Alexander II, there were relics in the chapel-apse of S. John, in the bases of the piers, in the four angles of the bell tower, in the cross on the western gable, in the cross of the tower (_Chron. Cass_, iii, 30).

Ashes were sprinkled on the floor, and the bishop with his pastoral staff wrote on them the alphabet, sometimes in Latin alone, sometimes in Greek also.

The whole ceremony concluded with the endowment of the church: or, as it was termed, presenting its dowry.

By way of setting before our readers as clearly as possible the ancient form of dedication, we have chosen, among ten forms preserved by Martene, that of S. Dunstan.

_Here beginneth the order of the dedication of a church. The bishops and other ministers of the church advance singing the antiphon_, 'Zaccheus, make haste and come down,' etc.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our, etc.

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_Then twelve candles are to be lighted, and placed round the church, with the antiphon_, three from the east, three from the west, three from the north, three from the south.

God, which by the preaching of Thine apostles, didst open to Thy Church the Kingdom of Heaven, and didst call them the Lights of the world, grant, we beseech Thee, that being assisted by their prayers, by whose teaching we are guided, and splendour illuminated, we may make these our actions pleasing to Thy Divine Majesty.

_Here followeth the Litany: the priests going thrice round the church, and beginning from that door at which they be after to enter, namely, the south door._

O Christ, hear us, etc.

Prevent us, O Lord, with Thy tender mercy, and by the intercession of Thy saints, receive our prayers graciously.

Let our prayers, O Lord, come up before Thee, and expel all wickedness from Thy Church.

God, which rulest heaven and earth, graciously give us the aid of Thy defence.

_Then one of the deacons entering the church, and shutting the door standeth before it, the others remaining without: and the bishop striking it with his staff, saith:_

Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.

_The deacon within answereth_, and saith: Who is the King of Glory?

_The Bishop._ Lift up, etc.

_The Deacon._ Who is, etc.

_The Bishop._ Lift up, etc.

_The Deacon._ Who is, etc.

_Chorus._ The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.

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_The bishop again striking the door it is opened: and he entereth: the chorus singing after him_, Lift up your heads, etc., _to the end of the Psalm_.

_The Bishop_. The Lord be with you.

_Response_. And with thy spirit.

_The Bishop_. Let us pray:

We beseech Thee, O Lord, of Thy mercy, to enter Thy house, and to make for Thyself an habitation in the hearts of the faithful. Through, etc.

_Then the bishop entereth the choir, saying:_

Peace be to this house, and to all that are in it; peace to them that come in, and to them that go out.

Bless, O Lord, this house, which the sons of men have built for Thee: hear those which shall come up to this place: hear their prayers in the lofty throne of Thy glory.

_The clerks begin the Litany; the bishop, with certain priests and deacons, remaining prostrate at the altar._

Lord have mercy upon us, etc.

_As soon as_ Agnus Dei _is said, the bishop, rising, saith:_

Let us pray.

Be Thou exalted. Lord, in Thine own strength, etc.

_Then the bishop shall write the alphabet along the pavement,_ [Footnote 691] _first from east to west, then from north to south, the chorus saying the Psalm_, Fundamenta ejus.

[Footnote 691: In the treatise of the Mart. Remigius, _De
Dedicatione Ecciesiae_, we have the following explanation of this
singular custom: 'A thing which might appear puerile, unless it had
been instituted by men, great in dignity, spiritual in life,
apostolical in discipline. In all things of this kind, the Lord by
His example hath gone before us: and what He hath done, remaineth
unchangeable in his successors. What is understood by the alphabet
save the beginnings and rudiments of sacred doctrine? Whence S.
Paul, "Ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first
principles of the oracles of God." Therefore the bishop writeth the
alphabet, to signify that he teacheth the pure doctrine of the
gospel. He writeth the alphabet twice, and that in the figure of a
cross, to signify that the Passion of Christ is set forth by the
gospel in its purity. He writeth it in the angles of the church,
because by them be set forth the four corners of the world. He
beginneth from the east, because the gospel began from the Jews.'

There is probably some reference to the Saviour's stooping down, and
writing in the sand. We may also compare those singular and rare
bells, in which the only inscription round the crown consists of the
letters of the alphabet.]

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_The Bishop_. O God, make speed, etc.

_Response_. O Lord, make haste, etc.

_The Bishop_. Glory be, etc.

_Response_. As it, etc.

_Then followeth the exorcism of the salt, and the water, and the ashes._

_Then the bishop maketh the sign of the cross at the four corners of the altar, with hyssop, going round it seven times. The chorus sing the Psalm_, Miserere mei Deus. _Then the bishop sprinkleth the water three times round the church: the chorus singing_ Deus noster refugium. _Then the bishop sprinkleth the water over the altar: the chorus singing_ Qui habitat. _Then the bishop sprinkleth the whole church inside with the water thrice: to signify the Church's inward faith in the Trinity: and once outside, to signify the one baptism. The chorus sing_ Fundamenta ejus; _and while the priests are ascending the turrets,_ Jacob beheld a ladder, etc., _and the Psalm_ Deus noster refugium.

_Then the bishop entereth the church: and sprinkleth water on the pavement in the form of a cross: the chorus singing_ Benedicite, omnia opera.

_The Bishop._ Lift up your hearts.

_Response._ We lift, etc.

_The Bishop._ Let us give thanks, etc.

_Response._ It is meet, etc.

_Then the bishop goeth to the altar, and poureth the remainder of the water at its base._

_Then he blesseth the altar-stone, the altar clothes, the sacerdotal vestments, the corporal, the paten, the chalice, the thurible._

_Here followeth the Mass of Dedication._

_The post communion ended, the Bishop saith:_

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Incline, O Lord, Thine ears unto me, and hear me: Look down, O Christ, from heaven, on thy flock and thy sheep: stretch Thine hand over them: bless their bodies and their souls: that in the communion of the saints they may receive celestial benediction, light angelical, the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete. Amen.

They who be regenerate of water and the Holy Ghost who be redeemed on earth by Thy precious blood, who have received Thy sign on their foreheads, grant them to be Thine on the day of judgment. Amen.

And as Thou didst bless patriarchs and prophets and apostles, martyrs and confessors, virgins and priests, so bless this flock, who are assembled to-day in Thy name in this church. Amen.

And as by Thine angel Thou didst free the three children from the burning fiery furnace, so free this flock from everlasting death and the power of the devil, and from earthly lusts and all manner of weaknesses. Amen.

Spare their faults, remit their sins, and present them pure and undefiled in the day of judgment: as Thou didst receive Enoch and Elias into the kingdom of heaven. Amen.

God Almighty bless and keep you, and make this house to shine with the glory of His presence, and open the eyes of His pity upon it day and night. Amen.

And grant of His mercy, that all, who have assembled together at this dedication, by the intercession of Blessed N., and all other saints whose relics rest here, may obtain the remission of their sins. Amen.

That ye may be made a holy temple in the spirit, where the Holy Trinity may ever deign to dwell; and after this short life ye may attain to everlasting felicity. Amen.

Which He grant. Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

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